Novartis Settles Patent Litigation Over Gleevec

Novartis Pharmaceuticals has settled its litigation with the US subsidiary of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, regarding patents covering the use of certain polymorphic forms of Gleevec (imatinib mesylate), which expire in 2019 (including pediatric exclusivity). The basic compound patent for Gleevec expires in the US on July 4, 2015.

As a result of the settlement, Novartis will permit Sun Pharma's subsidiary to market a generic version of Gleevec in the US on February 1, 2016. The terms of the settlement agreement are otherwise confidential. Sun Pharma's subsidiary has received tentative approval from FDA for its generic version of imatinib mesylate.